We discuss how if your property contract isn’t signed before 24 November, you might miss the last chance to settle in 2025.
The Queensland property industry shuts from at least 25 Dec to 1 Jan inclusive - and delayed contracts could cause tears, frustration, or worse...
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Hi everybody - George Sourris, Empire Legal.
Today's topic: Don’t get caught out this Xmas: the 2025 QLD property shutdown guide.
Don't get caught out this Christmas. The 2025 Queensland Property Settlement Shutdown Guide. Hi everybody, it's George Sourris from Empire Legal here with your heads up for our upcoming Christmas period.
The end of the year is fast approaching and we want to make sure all of our amazing clients and referral partners are fully clued in to the industry shutdown dates, settlement deadlines and support options over the festive period.
Shutdown and reopening dates.
Our office will close the afternoon of Wednesday the 24th of December 2025 (Christmas Eve), and will reopen at 9:00 AM on Thursday the 2nd of January 2026. This schedule aligns with the industry shutdown standards for Queensland property work.
We're only taking the minimum downtime off to stay ready for you. Our physical offices are appointment only until Monday, 19th of January 2026, allowing our team to spend additional time with families. Phone and email access will remain normal - Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM till 5:00 PM on business days.
Some key settlement deadlines.
For contracts under the standard REIQ terms, the last business day for settlement in 2025 is Wednesday the 24th of December 2025. Standard 30 day contracts dated Monday the 24th of November 2025 will be due to settle on the last business day of the year, 24th of December 2025.
So if you wanna settle before Christmas, and you sign a contract with a settlement period of less than 30 days after the 24th of November 2025, settlement is still possible, but it will require an accelerated process.
Council's, banks, and other checks will be under pressure. All standard REIQ contracts specifically state that the period from the 27th of December to the 31st of December inclusive are shut down dates where the industry is closed.
Of course, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day are public holidays. For off-the-plan deals or non-standard contracts the "shutdown period" may not apply in the same way. Check your terms and factor extra time accordingly.
We will be monitoring any off-the-plan matters during this period that we have for our existing clients and existing deals.
What this means for you.
If a matter falls into the shutdown window, so the 25th of December to the 1st of January 2026 inclusive, settlement and other condition deadlines will default to Friday, 2nd of January 2026, the next business day.
Empire Legal's commitment.
We've supported well over 12,000 people with home moves and property matters in the last eight years, and we hold over 2,800 five star Google reviews with a five star average. Our clients trust us because we deliver. Other firms shut for weeks over Christmas, creating stress for their clients with ambiguity and a lack of communication during this time.
Five quick tips before the break.
1) Finalise any key contract signatures and documents well ahead of the 24th of December.
2) Ensure all searches, finance and council approvals are queued and on track. Many providers operate slower or closed during this shutdown window.
3) If you're signing in late November or early December and need to settle before Christmas, consider reducing the period to make sure it lands before the shutdown period begins.Anything less than 21 days would be risky in our opinion.
3) Remember, clause 6.2, which exists since February 2022 on all standard REIQ contracts, if you anticipate delays. It gives you up to five business days extension option without penalty. We have a separate blog on this, here is the link.
5) Understand how the shutdown period will impact cooling-off conditions and settlement tasks in your contract terms.
Fun fact: the cooling-off period will continue to run on contracts signed between 27th of December and 31st of December 2025, as those dates are not considered a statutory public holiday, so buyer beware.
If you have any questions about the shutdown and how it affects your deals, whether you're a buyer seller, mortgage broker, agent, get in touch today. We'll work through your unique timeline, deadlines and options. Of course, our clients will be resting easy and enjoying the break, and we'll take care of everything for them.
Thanks for listening, and thanks for your continued trust. We wish you a successful wrap up to 2025 and a restful holiday season ahead.
We look forward to doing it all again with a busy and successful 2026. From George Sourris, Abi Wright, and the rest of the team here at Empire Legal.
Please guys, like, subscribe and share. Please share this one with anyone in the industry that needs to know about these shutdown dates. We'll see you very soon.
Ladies and gentlemen, please keep in mind that all advice is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. This is authorised by George Sourris, Empire Legal, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Any questions, get in touch. Give us a like, give us a follow. Or if you have a client that needs help, send them our way. Thanks again, guys. Have a great day.
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Guys, that's it for this week. Hope you learned a thing or two. Please feel free to get in touch if you've got any questions. Empire Legal - happy to help. Queensland's trusted choice for conveyancing. Over 2,800 Google reviews with a five star average. There's not many firms out there that have that five star average. With that many reviews, guys, and not to mention over 12,000 deals settled. Thanks guys. We'll see you next week.
Finally, if you haven't heard, we've launched our podcast. It's called Raising the Bar, where we story tell excellence in Queensland property. Here is the link to listen. If you prefer to watch, here is the YouTube link.
Also, stay up to date with our miniseries on Seller's Disclosure.
Thanks guys. We'll see you next week!
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Thanks for reading everybody. See you on the next one.
Ladies and gentlemen, please keep in mind that all advice is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. This is authorised by George Sourris, Empire Legal, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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Note: all information is general in nature and as each matter is unique please contact our office for tailored advices: the above does not constitute legal advice.